A fresh crop of values: 20 more great wines for $20 or less

Thirst By Jon Bonné 20 more great wines for $20 or less, including great whites for spring

Jon Bonné

Published 4:00 am, Sunday, February 19, 2012

Photo: Craig Lee, Special To The Chronicle

Image 1of/23

Caption

Close

Image 1 of 23

20 great wines, each for $20 or less that also offer a legitimate look at a grape and place.

20 great wines, each for $20 or less that also offer a legitimate look at a grape and place.

Photo: Craig Lee, Special To The Chronicle

Image 2 of 23

Pra Soave Classico

Pra Soave Classico

Photo: Craig Lee, Special To The Chronicle

Image 3 of 23

Charles Joguet Cuvee Terroir Chinon

Charles Joguet Cuvee Terroir Chinon

Photo: Craig Lee, Special To The Chronicle

Image 4 of 23

Domaine de la Terre Rouge Tete-a-Tete Sierra Foothills Red

Domaine de la Terre Rouge Tete-a-Tete Sierra Foothills Red

Photo: Craig Lee, Special To The Chronicle

Image 5 of 23

Jean Gardies Mas Las Cabes Vin de Pays des Cotes Catalanes Blanc

Jean Gardies Mas Las Cabes Vin de Pays des Cotes Catalanes Blanc

Photo: Craig Lee, Special To The Chronicle

Image 6 of 23

Viano Private Stock Contra Costa County Zinfandel

Viano Private Stock Contra Costa County Zinfandel

Photo: Craig Lee, Special To The Chronicle

Image 7 of 23

Dibon Brut Reserve Cava

Dibon Brut Reserve Cava

Photo: Craig Lee, Special To The Chronicle

Image 8 of 23

Spy Valley Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc

Spy Valley Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc

Photo: Craig Lee, Special To The Chronicle

Image 9 of 23

Abbazia di Novacella Alto Adige Valle Isarco Kerner

Abbazia di Novacella Alto Adige Valle Isarco Kerner

Photo: Craig Lee, Special To The Chronicle

Image 10 of 23

Collestefano Verdicchio di Matelica

Collestefano Verdicchio di Matelica

Photo: Craig Lee, Special To The Chronicle

Image 11 of 23

Niepoort Twisted Douro Red

Niepoort Twisted Douro Red

Photo: Craig Lee, Special To The Chronicle

Image 12 of 23

Saint Cosme Cotes-du-Rhone

Saint Cosme Cotes-du-Rhone

Photo: Craig Lee, Special To The Chronicle

Image 13 of 23

Bernabeleva Camino de Navaherreros Vinos de Madrid

Bernabeleva Camino de Navaherreros Vinos de Madrid

Photo: Craig Lee, Special To The Chronicle

Image 14 of 23

Luli Santa Lucia Highlands Chardonnay

Luli Santa Lucia Highlands Chardonnay

Photo: Craig Lee, Special To The Chronicle

Image 15 of 23

Tangent Paragon Vineyard Edna Valley Albarino

Tangent Paragon Vineyard Edna Valley Albarino

Photo: Craig Lee, Special To The Chronicle

Image 16 of 23

Bokisch Terra Alta Clements Hills-Lodi Albarino

Bokisch Terra Alta Clements Hills-Lodi Albarino

Photo: Craig Lee, Special To The Chronicle

Image 17 of 23

Brokenwood Hunter Valley Semillon

Brokenwood Hunter Valley Semillon

Photo: Craig Lee, Special To The Chronicle

Image 18 of 23

Tablas Creek Patelin de Tablas Paso Robles Red

Tablas Creek Patelin de Tablas Paso Robles Red

Photo: Craig Lee, Special To The Chronicle

Image 19 of 23

Cave de Pomerols Coteaux du Languedoc Picpoul de Pinet

Cave de Pomerols Coteaux du Languedoc Picpoul de Pinet

Photo: Craig Lee, Special To The Chronicle

Image 20 of 23

Bernhard Ott Am Berg Wagram Gruner Veltliner

Bernhard Ott Am Berg Wagram Gruner Veltliner

Photo: Craig Lee, Special To The Chronicle

Image 21 of 23

Chateau Reynon Bordeaux Blanc

Chateau Reynon Bordeaux Blanc

Photo: Craig Lee, Special To The Chronicle

Image 22 of 23

We found 20 value wines that offer a legitimate look at a grape and place.

We found 20 value wines that offer a legitimate look at a grape and place.

Photo: Erick Wong, The Chronicle

Image 23 of 23

A fresh crop of values: 20 more great wines for $20 or less

1 / 23

Back to Gallery

Time to restock the wine rack after the holidays. It seemed the right moment for another edition of our value hunt.

The plan this time was the same: Find 20 great wines, each for $20 or less. While these choices offer great value, they're also great wines, bottles that offer a legitimate look at a grape and place.

That's a crucial difference from a plain-vanilla bargain. Any pass through the supermarket will tell you there's no shortage of largely identical table wines out there, most of which can be differentiated only by the quirk factor of their label.

Are we meant to believe that they bring something to the conversation? I'd rather hunt for wines that have something legitimate to say - for the same price or just a couple bucks more.

These Alcoholic Beverages Lead People to Make the Worst DecisionsFAWTime

People Can Now Return Amazon Orders At Select Kohl’s, Whole FoodsWochit

How to Make a Farro Salad Lunch BoxCookLightTime

Traveling to Mexico? Beware of meth-laced sodaWibbitz

Christian Bale Ate 'a Lot of Pies' to Gain WeightFAWTime

It's still winter, of course, so rich winter wines are still on the brain. But these 20 will give you a jump on spring whites as well.

Again, choices like these are ones you should be able to rely on anytime and in any vintage, which makes our two previous lists of 20 (go to: sfg.ly/hiwfTM and sfg.ly/pQJNaC) worth referencing, too. These are names to save and remember whenever you're in the wine aisle.

Why: Bill Easton has long been the champion for Rhone-native grapes in the Sierra, and his Tete-a-Tete remains a steal. A homage to Rhone red blends, it brims with strawberry flavors and dried herbs, plus a tinge of oak, without sacrificing the great mineral signature of the mountains. Like the Tablas Patelin (see below), this fills the need for more great California table wine that shows its origins.

Why: Verdicchio, the tangy white grape of Italy's Marche, doesn't get a ton of respect (blame those fish-shaped bottles of yore). But the work of up-and-comer Fabio Marchionni to revitalize his family's property is also raising the fortunes of the town of Matelica, near the edge of Umbria, whence come Verdicchio's most serious iterations. The tale isn't an unusual one: lower yields, clean fermentations in steel. But it offers a true snapshot of a wine that's beautiful in its refreshing simplicity, especially the 2010, with a firm edge to its cured olive and lemon zest accents. Drink it with fried smelt. (Importer: Oliver McCrum Wines)

Bernabeleva Camino de Navaherreros Vinos de Madrid ($13, 14.5%)

What: A pure, profound expression of Grenache.

Why: I'm already on record as this being one of my most memorable wines of 2011. Bernabeleva is elevating a heretofore unknown area - edging the Sierra de Gredos mountains outside Madrid, full of granitic and sandy soils, Garnacha's hidden weapon. The more expensive bottles are profound, but this neutral wood-aged effort from estate manager Marc Isart Pinos with a hand from consultant Raul Perez is full of dark stone and bayberry, approachable as a table wine but with a lot more guts. (Importer: Rare Wine Co.)

Bokisch Terra Alta Clements Hills-Lodi Albarino ($16, 12%)

What: Proof positive of Lodi's great Spanish insurgency.

Why: Markus Bokisch is not only one of Lodi's most skilled viticulturists, he also is determined to show that Iberian grapes belong in this northern slice of the San Joaquin Valley. His Albarino, specifically from the alluvial and volcanic mix of the Clements Hills area east of Lodi, makes that case beautifully. Here's where California white wine can progress, with peach and clover aromas and a lemony side that speaks to our love of seafood.

Cave de Pomerols Coteaux du Languedoc Picpoul de Pinet ($12, 12.5%)

What: One of southern France's great white table wines.

Why: The tart, fresh Picpoul grape is sometimes called the Muscadet of the south, although I think that doesn't quite capture its sunny disposition. And the co-op in Pomerols, located just in from the Mediterranean near Montpelier, has brought welcome attention to this grape with its now-familiar green shaded bottle. Crisp, juniper-accented and yet with more weight than you'd expect (the 2010 is pitch-perfect in this regard) this is a bottle that, yes, is just right for oysters but delivers any time of year. (Importer: Kysela Pere et Fils)

Pra Soave Classico ($15, 13%)

What: A spectacular snapshot of one of Italy's most dependable white wines.

Why: Soave? Really? The Veneto's noble white wine doesn't get much respect these days - no surprise, since Soave became the same sort of caricature as so many other Italian faves. But brothers Sergio and Graziano PrÀ, in Monforte d'Alpone, just east of Verona, are keeping the flame. (Really, how many Italians quote Wendell Berry on their website?) All from 30-plus year old Garganega vines, it's full of beeswax, lime zest and pear, with the bite that makes true Soave distinctive. Seafood wine? Ayep. (Importer: Vinifera Imports)

Viano Private Stock Contra Costa County Zinfandel ($7.50, 13%)

What: One of the last honest table Zinfandels.

Why: I hesitate to call Viano a great wine, only in that it might exceed this Martinez winery's mandate. That's right: Martinez, with old head-trained Zinfandel grown near the southern shores of the Carquinez Strait. Remember what Zinfandel tasted like back when it was a no-splash table wine? Viano proudly keeps that flame alive, with mellow raspberry, spice and charcoal tones from a 2006 release that's the current vintage. Rather than the fakey versions of cheap varietal wine at this price, here's a no-bull effort from our backyard.

Abbazia di Novacella Alto Adige Valle Isarco Kerner ($18, 13.5%)

What: A quite literally soulful northern Italian white.

Why: The Augustinian monastary of Neustift (Novacella) not only continues to thrive as a monastic order but also as one of Alto Adige's best wineries. Their Kerner - a cross of Riesling with red Schiava - is one of the best secrets in white wine. Full of grapefruit rind and edelweiss accents, it finds that mix of full-shouldered texture and mineral definition that pleases everyone at a table. Bonus: the current 2010 is the best in years. (Importer: USA Wine West)

Saint Cosme Cotes-du-Rhone ($13, 14%)

What: True Rhone table wine from a master of the region.

Why: As one of the Rhone's great talents, Louis Barruol of Gigondas makes a range of ambitious wines, but his simple Cotes-du-Rhone - all Syrah, mostly from the town of Vinsobres - is a tribute to the beauty of wines under that humble label. The current 2010 reflects that vintage's brooding nature: inky, with lots of thyme and pepper to match plum fruit that has surprising weight for being fermented in vat. Here's a wine to remind you why the Rhone inspires so much affection. (Importer: Epic Wines)

Tangent Paragon Vineyard Edna Valley Albarino ($18, 13.5%)

What: Delicious evidence of this grape's New World potential.

Why: The Niven family has bet big on white wine from chilly Edna Valley, south of San Luis Obispo, and there's something about that particular appellation and Albarino that makes a happy marriage. (Yes, there are two California Albarinos in our lineup of 20; might be that the grape has a future here.) Fully fleshed, with scents of chervil and lime, it has a welcome chewiness that shows its versatility.

Why: Jason Haas of Paso Robles' Tablas Creek has for years been trying to address California's dearth of honest Cotes du Rhone-style wines. Finally, Tablas unveiled its Patelin ("neighbor") line tapping fruit from nearby vineyards. The Grenache-focused red, full of black fruit and licorice, can tangle with their more expensive estate wines. So can the Patelin white. We need more wines like this in California.

Why: Bernhard Ott is not your typical Austrian winemaker. Aside from his biodynamic farming in the generally unknown area of the Wagram, with its loess soils along the Danube's gentle northern bank, he also brings an unusually rich texture to his wines - even experimenting, like his Italian counterparts, with amphorae. Nothing so radical for this snap-pea scented basic bottle, but it always reveals spectacular texture, ripe fig-like fruit and the herbal accents that make this grape so versatile. (Importer: Valley View Wine Sales)

Charles Joguet Cuvee Terroir Chinon ($20, 13%)

What: Approachable red from a Loire stalwart.

Why: The Cabernet Franc-based wines of Chinon are a love-or-loathe proposition, but there's good reason why Chinon was an engine of Paris bistros for decades. This much-loved property, now run by Jacques Genet, continues to turn out a benchmark basic bottle from younger vines mostly in the village of Beaumont-en-Veron that not only offers depth but can age, too. (Importer: Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant)

Why: Jean Gardies is a name to remember in the Roussillon - in part for the wines from his family's domaine, but also for the affordable Las Cabes wines from the town of Espira de l'Agly. This is Catalan France, and so the mix of Muscat, Grenache Blanc and Maccabeu straddles that Pyrenees border between two cultures. The results are impressive in any language: ripe pear, bay leaf and citrus blossom accent a plush wine that simply relies on great old-vine fruit and minimal winemaking. (Importer: Weygandt-Metzler)

Spy Valley Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc ($16, 13.5%)

What: A Kiwi Sauv Blanc that aims for deeper realms.

Why: Marlborough is chock full of Sauvignon labels, but it's hard to forget Spy Valley - and not just for the name, which hails from a nearby monitoring station in Waihopai Valley. Their mainline bottle (the 2011 is just out) brings a bit more richness to the table, like candied grapefruit amid the expected grass notes. With a touch of sweetness and fig, it's as serious a take as you'll find amid the usual drumbeat of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. (Importer: Broadbent Selections)

Niepoort Twisted Douro Red ($17, 13%)

What: A great snapshot of dry wine made in the home of Port.

Why: It's hard to think of another winemaker who has diversified his talents like Dirk Niepoort. In addition to the wines for his family's historic Port house, there's this young-drinking red from the usual Port varieties (Tinta Roriz, Touriga Nacional, etc.) aged mostly in steel. Gutsy and full of barbecued plum and a slatelike minerality, it's the poster child for the Douro's abilities with complex, drinkable dry wines. (Importer: Martine's Wines)

Luli Santa Lucia Highlands Chardonnay ($18, 14.1%)

What: California Chardonnay that offers both richness and depth.

Why: The richer style of Chardonnay has taken a beating of late - not unfairly - but when it's done right, it can give its fans all the full flavor they want without becoming a pastiche. That's accomplished handily in the version from the Luli project, created by the Pisoni family, masters of the Santa Lucia Highlands appellation, and wine broker Sara Floyd. Luli brings ripe-tree fruit and richness to the table, without going too far. It should be a Chardonnay lover's secret weapon.

Brokenwood Hunter Valley Semillon ($19, 12%)

What: One of the world's great wines, currently underappreciated.

Why: You can argue the legitimacy of certain grapes and places, but Semillon in Australia's warm and humid Hunter Valley, north of Sydney, is undoubtable. Hunter Valley Semillon can easily be a 20-year wine, full of green notes when young, mellowing to ripeness when aged. At Brokenwood, Iain Riggs' steel-aged effort delivers a remarkable amount of wine for the money, with enough green freshness to tackle oysters, and yet ample fruit for chicken. (Importer: Old Bridge Cellars)

Chateau Reynon Bordeaux Blanc ($15, 13.5%)

What: A reminder of Sauvignon Blanc's serious side.

Why: In a region where red wine is king, Denis Dubourdieu carries the torch for great whites, including the one from his own property in Cadillac. The white from Reynon, mostly Sauvignon Blanc with a classic touch of Semillon, and grown on gravelly soils, gets the same treatment he puts into much-lauded whites such as Clos Floridene. A bit of skin contact for the grape must and aging in steel give this an herbal bite to its ripe apricot tones. If you're skeptical of the grape's grassy nature, here's counterpoint. (Importer: Grape Expectations)

Note: Alcohol numbers are generally based on a wine's current vintage.

Jon Bonné is The San Francisco Chronicle's wine editor. Find him at jbonne@sfchronicle.com or @jbonne on Twitter.

Latest from the SFGATE homepage:

Click below for the top news from around the Bay Area and beyond. Sign up for our newsletters to be the first to learn about breaking news and more. Go to 'Sign In' and 'Manage Profile' at the top of the page.